Srinagar-Jammu NH opens for stranded traffic

Ramban, May 2: The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, which was blocked by a massive mud and landslide at the Chamba-Seri stretch triggered by overnight heavy rains, was restored for two-way stranded traffic late Friday evening.

SSP Traffic NHW Raja Adil Hameed said that after hectic efforts aimed at road restoration, the highway was cleared of landslides and opened for stranded traffic.

First, we cleared the Jammu-bound vehicles stranded at Seri and then we allowed stranded Srinagar-bound vehicles, SSP NHW said.

Earlier, a massive mud and landslide, triggered by a fresh brief spell of torrential rains, had blocked the highway in the Chamba-Seri area of Ramban on Friday afternoon.

As per official sources, vehicular traffic movement was stopped from both sides of the highway due to mudslides.

A driver Jaswant Singh, who was stranded at village Seri said, Following heavy rains, mud and landslide had abruptly occurred at 2.30 pm on Friday at Chamba-Seri.

Officials said road restoration work was immediately started.

Engineers of the road maintenance agency National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) said that JCB machines were pressed into service to clear the landslides and mudslides.

On April 20, following heavy rains, landslides occurred at around two dozen places including Chamba-Seri.

Officials said at Chamba-Seri, a portion of the culvert of the Srinagar bound tube (up tube) was damaged then and all the traffic was diverted through another tube.

Senior Superintendent of Traffic Police National Highway Ramban, Raja Adil Hameed personally monitored road restoration work at Chamba-Seri.

Due to the blockade of the highway, a large number of private cars and Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) were stranded at safer locations in Ramban, Udhampur, Banihal, and Qazigund.

Before the blockade, hundreds of LMVs had crossed the Ramban-Banihal stretch for their respective destinations.

However, Srinagar-bound heavy vehicles were stranded at Chenani, Peeda, Chanderkoot, and Ramban.

Meanwhile, traffic authorities have advised commuters and vehicle operators to undertake journeys on the highway after checking the advisory.